THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics ASUP has expressed concern over the current fuel scarcity, describing it as an unfortunate situation that has thrown citizens into artificial suffering.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the first quarter 2022 Zonal Zone A, Executive Council meeting signed and made available to newsmen in Dutse the Jigawa state capital, by the Zonal publicity secretary, Comrade Basiru Yusuf.
The communique said the hike in prices of petroleum products and the unfortunate influx of off-spec petroleum product has crippled the social and economical activities of the people in the country.
According to communique, the level of inflation, worsened by incessant increases in the prices of electricity and commodities is of the great concern to the association.
The ASUP in the communique decries the threat of insecurity sweeping through the country as indeed worrisome particularly in relation to the wanton disregard for lives and property by criminals in the form of rural banditry and kidnapping, armed robbery, communal and religious clashes, secessionist agitations among others.
It therefore called for deployment of new and improved coordinated efforts to curtail it,
“It is hereby calling upon the government at all levels to urgently take decisive actions to address all security challenges in Nigeria because what obtains today directly affects academic activities especially in Northern Nigeria where some schools and colleges are closed”~ ASUP
The association expressed worry that the federal government has still not fulfilled its part of the agreement entered with ASUP for the suspension of the last strike action of the union.
The communique said, it is believed that there is need for urgent release of N15 billion revitalization fund as well as minimum wage arrears to the affected members of the sector in order to lay this issue to rest permanently.
It said, the continued non-remittance of National Housing Fund, Pensions fund and other third party deductions by IPPIS to many federal institutions attracts the attention of the ZEC.
The zone A ASUP added that finding has revealed that there is an ongoing undue interference by external forces in the appointment of the Rector in Kaduna Polytechnic without recourse of polytechnic Act 2019 (as amended) asked for the strict compliance to the provision of the law in the selection process and cautions against such meddling in the spirit of fairness.
They further stated that the ZEC frowns at the recent reversal of the 65 years’ retirement age for polytechnic staff by Kano sate government, while its earlier pronouncement was loudly applauded across all quarters.
The communique called on the government to maintain its former position considering it is part of the provisions of the Polytechnic Act (as amended 2019).
ZEC called on the Niger State Government to urgently look into the non-remittance of 7 months check-off dues for Niger State Polytechnic Zungeru chapter of the Union to enable it operate seamlessly.
Usman Mohammed Zaria